Q; "I am confused about the differences between these units. I have a mouse problem both in my basement/house and in an outbuilding where I store bird seed and apples. Can you please explain the differences? I do not want a single catch trap that I have to empty or throw out such as the spring traps. Thanks. Tom."

Answer: First, remember the TIN Cat trap is a live catch trap. That means you have to regularly empty it out. I frankly think this is akin to the ground squirrel problem my friend had a few years ago. She would trap them, drive them three miles into the country and swears they beat her back to the house. It depends, of course, as to whether you believe that wild mice are like the white mice my brother had as a child, i.e. pets.

The Illinois Dept of Public Health has an extensive page on getting rid of mice and rats. Part of one sections talks about "sealed 'place packs' keep bait fresh and make it easy to place the baits in burrows, walls or other locations. Mice gnaw into the packet to feed on the bait. Block style baits are also very effective for most situations. Proper placement of baits and the distance between placements is important. Place baits in several locations no farther than 10 feet apart and preferably closer. For effective control, baits or traps must be located where mice are living. Use of tamper-resistant bait stations provides a safeguard for people, pets and other animals. Place bait stations next to walls with the openings close to the wall or in other places where mice are active. When possible, secure the bait station to a fixed object to prevent it from being moved. Clearly label all bait stations "Caution—Mouse Bait" as a safety precaution." This is good advice when using the packs. The blocks are also effective, in fact they attract because mice and rats like to gnaw on oats, etc.

The differences among the others are:

The M252:

Capacity: one mouse

Kill in 10 seconds using high voltage electrical charge.

Green indicator light blinks for 7 days to signal that a mouse has been caught. Just open the lid and dispose of the dead mouse.

Safe to use around pets and children.

Humane kill : meets International Humane Kill standards.

Built in safety feature: unit deactivates if top door is accidentally opened.

A tunnel design:traps mice inside, keeps children and pets from touching the electric mouse trap .

Humane kill of up to 3 mice using high voltage

If only 1 mouse is caught, the trap resets automatically, ready to kill anothger

Green light blinks for up 7 days to indicate capture

Red light blinks to indicate low batteries.

Kills up to 100 mice per set of batteries.

Lid flips open to keep hands away from rodent when emptying.

Built-in safety switch automatically deactivates the trap when its door is open. Additionally, its unique tunnel design prevents kids and pets from reaching into the trap.

Safe for use anywhere in the home, Victor® Electronic Mouse Traps can be used for years to ensure effective mouse control.

Victor Multi-Kill Mousetrap M260 Features:

Two points of entry: mice climb stairs on side of trap after they smell the bait

Instant death from high voltage shock

Up to 10 mice die per setting.

Shock N' Drop chamber rotates and drops mouse into collection drawer

Blinking yellow light indicates a kill

Trap resets for the next mouse

Built-in safety switch protects pets and children: automatically deactivates the trap when the door is open.

Power: 4 C Cells

Choose the trap or traps according to:

Number of areas where mice are seen or their droppings are seen

How many mice are a problem

How often you want to check the traps and empty them

Note: Effective mouse control requires more than an electric mouse trap. Ultrasonic rodent repellers discourage mouse re-infestations. Sealing off entrances into homes or buildings and proper storage of food stuffs is part of a comprehensive plan to keep out mice. No control method is 100% effective by itself. Mouse bait is also effective: just remember that mice don't go outside to die. They like to be warm and the inside of home walls is a favorite place to nest and to die. The odor from a dead mouse or a few is enough to make you want to vacate the area. We have found that ionizing air cleaners help neutralize that awful odor or decay. If your outbuilding is a distance from your home, then consider bait IF your domestic animals and children are not apt to get into it.

Victor Multi-Kill Brand Place Pack Rodenticides,86 Pack VICTOR® Multi-Kill® Brand Place Packs are made with a powerful single-feed anticoagulant. Contains the first new EPA-approved active in over 10 years. 200x less toxic to dogs than the leading brand twice more toxic to mice. Made in the USA, Uses premium ingredients like oats. Sealed poison packs for Norway Rats, Roof Rats, and House Mice.For indoor and outdoor use.Kills the rodent within 3-5 days.Made in the U.S.A.Bucket of 86 blocks, 8.06 lbs. weight Legal for use in all 50 states and District of Columbia

Victor Multi-Kill Brand Rodenticide Rat Bait,128 Blocks entice rodents by appealing to their desire to gnaw. Additionally, multiple gnaw edges are pre-shaped into blocks to foster increased interaction. This is the same formulation as the place packs but in a block form. So these are also 200 times less toxic to dogs than the leading brand of rodenticide. Legal for use in all 50 states and District of Columbia